Tympan roll adjusting means for rotary printing mechanism



Feb. 26, 1957 J. T. DAVlDSON TYMFAN ROLL ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ROTARY PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 9, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l llllll'illlll HEN INVENTOR.

JOHN T. DAVIDSON ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 TYMPAN ROLL ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ROTARY PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 9, 1953 J. T. DAVIDSON 2,782,713

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 1957 J. 'r. DAVIDSON 2,782,713

TYMPAN ROLL ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ROTARY PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 9, 1953 4 Shegts-Sheet 3 .LEI

INVENTOR.

JOHN T. DAVIDSON BY WWW ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 J. T. DAVIDSON TYMPAN ROLL ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ROTARY PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 9, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VIII/ 'll" I gm 3 4% I h w m m m JOHN T. DAVIDSON ATTORNEY United States PatentO TYMPAN ROLL ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ROTARY PRINTING MECHANISM This invention relates to printing mechanism, and

particularly to tympan rolls as used in conjunction with the printing cylinders of roll imprinters and like machines.

The tympan roll in a roll imprinter supplies a force for holding the paper against the printing cylinder with a constant pressure, and it is, of course, desirable that the tympan roll be susceptible of some adjustment to compensate for differences in paper thickness and for any absence of mechanical uniformity.

The instant invention proposes a generally new tympan roll assembly, presenting, as a unitary part of the assembly, a plurality of adjustment controls.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of printing mechanisms whereby such mechanisms may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more eflicient, accurate and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of work, having relatively few parts and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to locate the controls for convenient manipulation by the operator.

A further object of the invention is to introduce a novel mode of cooperation between the printing cylinder, tympan roll and the driving means therefor, wherein the printing cylinder is rotated through the tympan roll and wherein the tympan roll may be adjusted by hand independently of the driving means to effect movements of said cylinder for registration purposes.

Still another object of the invention is to maintain a driving-driven relationship between the tympan roll and printing cylinder in any adjusted position of the tympan roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing mechanism possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters" Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrate in the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the instant illustrated embodiment of the invention, the tympan roll assembly incorporates the following adjustment controls;

1. A quick release or on and off control wherein quickly released ice . 2. two different thicknesses of paper stock, side by side, over the printing cylinder.

4. A registration adjustment for rotating the printing cylinder relatively to the paper for purposes of accurate registration of the printing elements with specific areas of the paper.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is found the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view of the tympan roll in side elevation, shown installed in the printing mechanism, and in on position with respect to the printing cylinder;

" Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, in longitudinal section, of the tympan roll shown in an off, exaggerated tilt position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the tympan r'oll parallel to the printing cylinder;

Fig. 4 is a view, in perspective, of the control end of the tympan roll, parts being broken away to show the operating mechanism;

Figs. 5 and 6 and 7 are views in cross section taken substantially along the respective lines 5-5, 6-6 and v7-7 of Fig. 4;

'Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, in longitudinal section, taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 8, with the eccentric tilt control sleeve turned and Fig. 10-is a view like Fig. 8 taken substantially along .line 88 of Fig. 6 with the shaft turned 180; and

Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are views in cross section taken substantially along respective lines 1111, 12--12 and 13--13 of Fig. 4.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings a roll imprinter or like device, in accordance with the instant invention, comprises stationary side'frame 15 and 16, plus an auxiliary frame member 17 anchored at its ends, in a manner not here shown, to the frame 16. There is supported between the side frames 15 and 16 a rotatable printing cylinder 18 carrying in the surface thereof interchangeable imprinting elements 19.

In generally side-by-side parallel relation to the printing cylinder 18 is a tympan roll 21 operable in the man net of such devices to press the paper against imprinting elements 19 during the printing operation'whereby to improve the quality of the impression made. The tympan roll 21 comprises an outer covering 22 of rubber or rubber-like material and a hub 23 which terminates at its opposite ends in bearing housings 24 and 25, as seen respectively in Figs. 2 and 8. A tympan shaft 26 ex- ..tends longitudinally through the roll 21, and has a rotatable mounting in bearings 27 and 28 in the respective housings 24 and 25.

p p The opposite ends of the shaft 26 project through the bearing housings 24 and 25 in the form of end extensions .29 and 31, which extensions are formed eccentric with respect to the main body of the shaft and concentric with respect to each other. The end extension 29 projects into a housing 32 mounted in the side frame Hand is directly received in a spherical bearing member 33 mounted in a complementary socket member 34. The bearing arrangement thus provided has the character of a universal joint permitting relative tilting movement of the shaft 26. The end extension 31 has an eccentric "sleeve 35 mounted thereon, received in a spherical hearing member 36 and socket 37 installed in the auxiliary frame 17. More particularly, and as seen in Fig. 9, the bearing and socket assembly 3637 is mounted in a housing 38 set in the frame 17. Accordingly, andby reason of the described mounting of the shaft 26, rotation of the shaft about its end extension 29 and 31 will serve to rock the shaft in forward and rearward directions or toward and from the printing cylinder 18. Similarly, rotation of the sleeve 35 relatively to the shaft 26 and end extension 31 will serve to depress or elevate one end of the shaft relatively to the other, an exaggerated position of the tympan assembly as a result of such adjustment being illustrated in Fig. 2.

A driving-driven relationship between the tympan roll 21 and the printing cylinder 18 is established by meshing gears 39 and 41 mounted on corresponding ends thereof. Also mounted on the tympan roll 21, and releasably engaged therewith in a manner to be described, is a sprocket wheel 42 driven by a chain 43. The chain 43 is con nected, in a manner not here shown, with positive driving means, for example with the feeding devices which direct and advance the paper between the printing cylinder 18 and the roll 21. When such driving means is in operation, the sprocket wheel 42 is rotated to effect a corresponding rotation of the roll 21 relatively to the shaft 26, the motion of the roll 21 being transmitted through the gears 39 and 41 to the printing cylinder 18. In order that the gears 39 and 41 may retain a meshing engagement in any operative position of adjustment of the shaft 26, the gears are made with an undersize pitch diameter and outside diameter, and with an over-size tooth depth.

The sprocket wheel 42 is made fast to a hub 44 fixed by a screw stud 45 to a sleeve 46 which is in surrounding, contacting relation to the hub 23 of the tympan roll 21, but rotatable thereon. The sleeve 46 further has mounted thereon a disc 47 in abutting relation to a fixed gear 48 formed integrally on the sleeve 46. In side-by-side relation to the gear 48 is another gear 49 keyed to the tympan roll hub 23. The gear 49 is similar to the gear 48 but has one more tooth. In overlying relation to the gears 48 and 49, and making a common engagement therewith, is a pinion 51 carried in the vertical wall of a cup-shaped adjustment member 52.

The horizontal surrounding wall of the adjustment member 52 is externally knurled, and, internally, has a threaded engagement with a lock nut 53. The latter element has a lip 54 for contact with a corresponding lip 55 on the disc 47. By screwing the lock nut 53 inward, relatively to the adjustment member 52, a tight frictional contact may be established between the nut 53, disc 47, and sleeve 46 in such manner as to preclude relative rotation of the adjustment member 52. Under these circumstances, a rotary driving force imparted to the sprocket wheel 42 is transmitted through sleeve 46, disc 47, lock nut 53, adjustment member 52, pinion 51, and gear 49 to the hub 23 of the tympan roll 21. The tympan roll accordingly is driven by and in conjunction with rotation of the sprocket wheel 42.

If however, the lock nut 53 is turned on the adjustment member 52 in a direction to retract it from frietional engagement with the disc 47 the driving connection as described above is disabled. The tympan roll 21 is under these circumstances in effect disconnected from sprocket wheel 42 and the main drive, and a supplemental manual rotation of the tympan roll may be had, as for purposes of aligning or realigning the printing cylinder 18 with respect to the paper. Adjustment of the roll 21 for this purpose is effected by manually turning the adjustment member 52 after the lock nut 53 has been loosened. In this action the pinion 49 is rotated by virtue of its meshing engagement with the gear 48, which now serves as a reactant member, and for each full turn of the member 52 the gear 49 and the roll 21 to which it is connected, are turned the distance of one tooth space. When the desired adjustment or readjustment of the cylinder 18 relatively to the paper has in this manner been accomplished, the lock nut 53 again is tightened and further rotational control of the tympan roll 21am.-

4 turned to the main drive mechanism as represented by the sprocket wheel 42.

The pinion 51 is a part of a planetary gear system which further includes, as seen in Fig. 5, pinions 56 mounted on the adjustment member 52 in a manner similar to the mounting of pinion 51 but meshing only with the gear 48. The auxiliary gears or pinions 56 serve as supporting or centering devices for the adjustment members 52. The adjustment mechanism also may include a plate or ring 57 mounted on the vertical wall of the adjustment member 52 to absorb endwise thrust imparted by the disc 47 in response to tightening the lock nut 53.

The adjustment member 52 is in surrounding concentric relation to the tympan shaft 26 and in such laterally spaced relation to the tympan roll 21 as to be readily accessible to the hand of the operator. Similarly disposed and mounted on the shaft 26, or on the extension 31 thereof, are like means for effective tilting and rocking adjustment of the shaft 26 in the manner earlier described.

Thus, in the tilting adjustment there is provided a gear 58 corresponding to the gear 48 and to which is fixed a disc 59 corresponding to the disc 47. The disc 59 has an opening 61 in the base thereof, receiving a pin 62 set in the previously identified bearing housing 33. The gear 58 accordingly is positively held against rotation relative to the auxiliary frame 17. In side-by-side relation to the gear 58 and having one more tooth than the gear 58 is a similar gear 63, keyed to the previously identified eccentric sleeve 35. A pinion 64 makes a common ongagement with the gears 58 and 63 and is carried by an adjustment member 65 having threaded engagement with a lock nut 66. The latter is arranged for frictional engagement with the disc 59 in a manner enabling the adjustment member 65 to be alternately released for and locked against relative motion with respect to the sleeve 35. With the lock nut 66 loosened, the adjustment member 65 can be turned by hand. In response thereto the pinion 64 rides in the stationary gear 58, and effects a relative turning motion of the gears 63 and sleeve 35 to the extent permitted by the additional tooth on gear 63. The determined relationship may, for example, be one requiring approximately thirty five revolutions of the member 65 to raise or lower the associated end of the tympan roll ,6, of an inch. Figs. 8 and 9 show the sleeve 35 distances of apart, representing the opposite extremes of tilting motion permitted the shaft 26.

As in the case of the mechanism for rotating the roll 21 for registration of the cylinder with the paper, the tilt adjustment mechanism includes auxiliary pinions 67 interposed between the stationary gear and the adjustment member 65 for supporting and centering purposes.

The previously described rocking motion of the shaft 26 about the end extensions 29 and 31 is performed in a dual sense. Thus, such rocking motion is effected to move the tympan roll into and out of cooperative relation with the printing cylinder in order that the paper may be inserted between or withdrawn from these members. Additionally, the tympan roll is rocked to achieve finer increments of adjustment of the roll to compensate for variations in thickness of the paper and to vary the etfective applied pressure.

For the gradual rocking adjustment of the shaft 26 there is provided a planetary system like those previously described. Such system includes a gear 68 which is the fixed gear in the system since it is connected by a key 69 to the normally stationary gear 63 of the tilt adjustment mechanism. In side-by-side relation to the gear 68 is another gear 71 like, the gear 68 but having an additional tooth. The gear 71 is a part of or is suitably made fast to, a disc 72 rotatably mounted on the shaft extension 31. The disc 72 and a lock nut 73 have complementary lip portions and the latter-further is in threaded engagement with an adjustment member 74. A pinion 75 is carried by the member 74 and is in overlying common engagement with the gears 69 and 71. As in the previously described embodiment of the planetary mechanism, when the lock nut 73 is loosened relatively to the disc 72, the member 74 can be turned to cause the pinion 75 to roll in the fixed gear 69 and to cause the gear 71 to turn the distance of one tooth space during each revolution of the member 74. The disc 72 turns with the gear 71. It carries a plunger 76,spring urged outward or toward engagement with a registering groove 77 in a companion disc 78. The latter is keyed to the shaft extension 31, so that rotation of the disc 72 is effective through the plunger 76 and disc 78 to turn the tympan shaft 26 about its end extensions29 and 31. As shown in Fig. 12, the planetary system for rotating the shaft 26 includes, like the other described systems. auxiliary pinions 79 in engagement with the stationary gear of the system.

For a quick instead of a gradual adjustment of the shaft 26, there is provided an adjustment member 81 mounted on the extreme outer end of the shaft extension 31 for axial as well as rotary motion relative thereto. The barrel of the member 81 has a keyed connection with the disc 78, as indicated at 80 in Fig. 13, so that rotation of the member 81 is directly effective upon the shaft 26,

in effect by-passing the planetary system comprising gears 68 and 71. In order that the connection from the gear 71 to the shaft extension 31 may be disabled during operation of the member 81, there is provided a pin 82 which has a sliding mounting in the disc 78 in line with the plunger 76. Thus, in making use of the quick adjustment afforded by the member 81, such member initially is pressed axially inward before being turned so that the plunger 76 can be dislodged from thegroove 77.

Both the adjustment members or knobs 65 and 74 may have suitable indicating means associated therewith to aid in repeated exact positioning of the tympan shaft. The control knob 81 may also have such indicating means or may simply have on and off" positions indicating respectively that the tympan roll is in effective and ineffective positions. It will further be noted, in this connection, that since the member 81 normally rotates with the disc 78 it is immaterial that the on position of the tympan roll may vary with variations in paper thickness. Insofar as the member 81 is concerned, and assuming the tympan roll to have been initially properly set by adjustment of the member '74, the on position will always be represented by the point at which the plunger 7 clicks into the groove 77.

it will be understood that in the setting up of the printing mechanism, the member 52 is initially adjusted to achieve the proper registration between the printing elements on cylinder 18 and the paper. Following this, the tilt adjustment is effected through the member 65, to attain the desired parallelism of the tympan roll relatively to the cylinder. Finally the member 74 is turned to bring about the correct pressural contact of the paper upon the cylinder by appropriate, minute, advancing or retracting motions of the tympan roll.

All of these adjustments devices, and including further the quick release represented by the member 81, are mounted as disclosed, on the tympan shaft conveniently accessible to the hand of the operator. Together with the shaft and roll they comprise a unitary tympan assembly.

With further regard to the on and off adjustment, when the member 81 is in off position the plunger 76 is released from groove 77 so that no positive drive exists from gear 71 to the shaft extension 31. So that fine adjustments of the tympan roll made be made, even in the off position, a friction plate 83 is keyed to the shaft extension 31 and pressed by springs 84 against the face of disc 72.

From the above descriptions it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a printing mechanism, a tympan shaft, end extensions on said shaft eccentric to the main body of the shaft and concentric to each other, a journal bearing for one of said end extensions providing for rotary and tilting movements of said shaft, and a mounting for the other end extension including a relatively rotatable sleeve having an eccentric bore receiving said other end extension, control means for rotating said sleeve to effect tilting movements of said shaft, and control means for rotating said shaft to effect bodily shifting'motions thereof about said end extensions.

2. A printing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that said last named means includes a first adjustable control effecting a gradual rotation of said shaft and a second adjustable control effecting a quick rotation of said shaft.

3. A printing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means are mounted as control knobs on said other end extension individually accessible to the hand of the operator.

4. In a printing mechanism, a tympan roll, supports providing a rotatable mounting for said tympan roll, a drive sleeve assembly rotatably mounted on said tympan roll a releasable driving connection between said sleeve assembly and said tympan roll, and gear means utilizing said drive sleeve as a relatively stationary reactant member to rotate said roll gradually independently of said drive sleeve.

5. In a printing mechanism, a rotatable printing cylinder, a rotatable tympan roll in substantially adjacent parallel relation to said cylinder, meshing gears on said cylinder and roll, another gear on said tympan roll, a releasable driving connection between said other gear and said tympan roll including a sleeve on said roll, and means utilizing said sleeve as a relatively stationary reactant member for independent rotation of said tympan roll, and other means for effecting rocking and tilting movements of said tympan roll relatively to said cylinder while retaining operative engagement between said meshing gears.

6. In a printing mechanism, a tympan shaft, a universal joint providing a bearing for one end of the shaft, a bearing for the other end of the shaft including an eccentric sleeve thereon, said support for the ends of said shaft allowing rocking and tilting movements of adjustment of the shaft, control mechanism for effecting said movements including rotatable knobs mounted on said shaft, and planetary gear movements operated by each said knobs for effecting said rocking and tilting movements gradually and in predetermined ratio to the movement of said knobs.

7. A tympan roll assembly, including a shaft having end extensions eccentric to the main body of the shaft and concentric to each other, bearing supports for said end extensions, means for turning said shaft in said supports in fine increments of motion to rock the main body of the shaft to selected operating or on position, other means for turning said shaft quickly to and from said on positions, and means movable with the first said turning means defining said on position for said other turning means.

8. In a printing mechanism, a printing cylinder, a tympan shaft in adjacent substantially parallel relation to said cylinder, a roll rotatably mounted on said shaft, a

rotarydriving connection extending through said roll to said cy1inder,.said connection including a driving sleeve rotatably mounted on said roll, a gear fast on said sleeve, another gear in side by side relation to the first said gear and mounted on said roll for unison rotation, said other gear having a greater number of teeth than the first said gear, pinion means in common meshing engagement with said gears, a ring rotatably mounted on said roll and carrying said pinion means, and means for coupling said ring to said sleeve for unison rotation, said means being releasable to permit said ring to be turned relatively to said sleeve.

9. A printing mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that said last named means have the form of control knobs supported on said tympan roll for access by the hand of the operator.

10. In a printing mechanism, a printing cylinder, a tympan shaft in adjacent substantially parallel relation to said cylinder, a roll rotatably mounted on said shaft, a rotary driving connection extending through said roll to said cylinder, said connection including a gear mounted on a ring rotatably mounted on said roll, pinion means carried by said ring and meshing with said gear, another gear rotatably mounted on said roll and also meshing with said pinion means, the first said gear having a greater number of teeth than said other gear, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said roll, means for releasably connecting said sleeve to said ring, and means forrotating said sleeve, said means defining one rotary drive for said roll and said ring in the released position of said connecting means defining another drive for said roll.

11. A printing mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that said sleeve and said other gear are connected in a unitary assembly.

12-. A printing mechanism according to claim characterized in that said connection means and saidring are mounted as companion knobs on the tympan roll individually accessible to the hand of the operator.

13. In a printing mechanism, a tympan shaft, frame supports for said shaft providing for relative rocking and tilting motions of said shaft, said shaft extending through and beyond one of said supports, a roll rotatably mounted on said shaft and extending through and beyond said one support, manual means on the extending end "8 of said roll for rotating said roll relatively to said shaft, manual means on the extending end of, said shaft for rocking said shaft relativelyto said roll, an auxiliary support for the extending end of said shaft including an eccentric sleeve on said shaft, and manual means for rotating said sleeve. i

14. A printing mechanism according to claim 13, characterized in that said several manual means include individual concentric knobs mounted on the extending ends of said roll and said shaft for access by the hand of the operator.

15. In a printing mechanism, a tympan shaft, a mounting for the ends of said shaft effecting a bodily shifting motion of said shaft in response to rocking motion thereof, a gear surrounding said shaft, a relatively stationary support for said gear, a relatively rotatable gear alongside the first said gear and having a greater number of teeth, pinion means in common meshing engagement with said gears, a ring carrying said pinion means and rotatable on said shaft to effect a rotary motion of said other gear, and a connection between said other gear and said shaft rocking said shaft in response to rotation of said other gear.

16. Aprinting mechanism according to claim 15, characterized by means for disabling said last named connection and for rocking said shaft, said last named means and said ring defining alternative means for rocking said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,082 Lornetzen Feb. 13, 1934 1,647,948 Winkler Nov. 1, 1927 1,822,902 Osborne Sept. 15, 1931 2,121,195 Harrold et al. June 21, 1938 2,138,142 Dietrich Nov. 29, 1938 2,470,243 Frostad May 17, 1949 2,586,975 Messinger Feb. 26, 1952 2,594,214 Ras Apr. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 395,413 Great Britain July 17, 1933 426,910 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1935 

